Leave Me Alone!

Do you remember the kid in school who was constantly pestering someone?  It seems like there was one in every class--the spitwad shooting, hair pulling, passing-notes-to-get-you-in-trouble kind of kid.  Or maybe you were the kid who couldn't seem to leave people alone!!  Ahhhh, memories of grade school...let's move on, shall we?

I couldn't help to think of those days this morning as I was gathering my thoughts for this post.  Isn't it irritating to always have someone nagging you?  You just want to scream, "Leave me alone!"

The Scripture I was reading this morning made me realize why I seem to want to scream that same thing on a nearly every day basis these days...except to a much more formidable enemy than those grade school pests.

First Peter 2:11 says, "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul."  The idea of waging war, to me, brings to mind the idea of something (or someone) not giving up against us.  In fact, John MacArthur describes this phrase by saying that our fleshly desires are "personified as if they were an army of rebels or guerrillas who incessantly search out and try to destroy the Christian's joy, peace and usefulness."

Incessantly.  How many times have you felt under constant attack by the enemy?  For me, it seems that once I feel I've gotten past one area, I get struck in another.  Then I am blindsided by a different attack.  I just want to scream, "Leave me alone!"

But you know, it makes sense when we remember the first part of that Scripture, where we are described as "aliens and strangers" in this world.  You see, as believers, this world is not our home.  We are constantly under attack because we haven't yet made it to the safety of home.  I dare say that if a "Christian" feels at home in this world and never feels under attack, then there may be reason for him to examine his heart and make sure that all is really right with God.

One day, we will finally make it home, and we will rest in the eternal presence of our Father.  But until that day, we take heart and find encouragement in the security of our salvation and the precious Word of God.  It reminds us over and over that we are not alone in this battle.  In Ephesians 6 we are given the weapons of this warfare and in many other places, such as John 16:33, we are encouraged to keep fighting the good fight, to keep hanging on and to keep trusting God. 

Lastly, remember that while this world is merely our temporary dwelling place, it is here that we have the opportunity to share God's grace with others and grow in our relationship with Him, which will make our eternity just that much sweeter.